‘Til Tuesday
Not exactly a banner debut for Alvarado, whose substitution at center back effectively coincided with the United States’ collapse. That said, the 3-2 scoreline still manages to flatter a US side that was outplayed thoroughly. Next up: a visit to Zurich’s Stadion Letzigrund for a meeting with the Swiss. Until then, we’ll leave the last word to Elliot Turner:
Bendtner grabs a brace and Jozy with a goal and assist. Were the Premiership defenses they faced and failed to breach just that good or are they getting some topnotch Danish & American midfield service. I know the correct answer, but wish I didn’t.
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Full-time: Denmark 3-2 USA
A deserved win for Denmark, who capitalized as the United States fell apart in the final 10 minutes. A “sickening” result as Ian Darke puts it. Seven goals conceded after the 80th minute in the US team’s last seven games, per ESPN’s Paul Carr.
GOAL! Denmark 3-2 USA (Bendtner, 90+1 min)
It was almost inevitable. Bendtner completes his first international hat trick with a gorgeous goal that catches the US flat at the back. Eight of the 14 goals conceded by Klinsmann’s team since the World Cup have come after the 70th minute.
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90 min: The wall does its job.
89 min: Alvarado, who was beaten on the header that set up Bendtner’s (second) equalizer, takes a yellow as Eriksen charges directly at him. A very dangerous free-kick opportunity for Denmark, who will take it right from the edge of the area.
86 min: Getting quite windy as the rain picks up here late.
GOAL! Denmark 2-2 USA (Bendtner, 83 min)
Bendtner has the brace as he’s left unmarked by the back post. What a disappointment for the United States, who concede another late goal.
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80 min: Now on for the United States is the brilliantly named Ventura Alvarado, who replaces Orozco. The 22-year-old from Phoenix is making his international debut.
78 min: You’re hearing correctly. That’s an ‘I believe that we will win’ chant from a vocal pocket of US fans in the far corner. They’re really making themselves heard, coming through over the telecast.
77 min: And now Ajax’s Schone on, Krohn-Dehli off for Denmark.
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73 min: What a turn of events. Two goals against the run of play for the US and now they’re 17 minutes from a smash-and-grab victory in Århus. A substitution for Denmark here: Braithwaite on, Vibe off.
67 min: Rubin and Yedlin entering for the United States, Johannsson and Zardes off.
GOAL! Denmark 1-2 USA (Johannsson, 66 min)
Guess the milk carton thing worked. Aron Johannsson scores after Bradley finds Altidore over the top and Jozy finds the AZ Alkmaar striker in front of the net for an easy goal. It’s Johannsson’s first substantial interplay with Altidore tonight and it’s paid off royally for the US team.
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64 min: Rubio Rubin and DeAndre Yedlin preparing to enter for the United States.
61 min: Signs of life from the Americans. Shea with a nice ball in there: it can’t quite connect with his forwards but it gives them an opportunity, which is better than today’s standard.
56 min: A long ball through catches Brooks flat and out of position but he recovers nicely. Then a gorgeous long-range pass from Christian Eriksen finds Vibe, whose volley is smashed just wide. Dreadful might be a bit harsh as a word to characterize this US performance, but it wouldn’t be completely unfair.
Looks like Jurgen Klinsmann is in a fine mood at the moment. pic.twitter.com/p1qEsY5kjH
— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) March 25, 2015
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52 min: Denmark’s third substitution. Simon Poulsen on, Boilesen off.
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49 min: More miscommunication on the American back line as Rimando is forced to make a save and Orozco darts in to boot it clear. Not good.
47 min: Bendtner gets a ball over the top in the box but smashes a half-volley wide. Terrible start to the second half for the US after a not-very-good first half. To wit:
#USMNT had 36% possession in the first half, its lowest in a first half in the last four years.
— Paul Carr (@PCarrESPN) March 25, 2015
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46 min: The second half is underway here. Morales and Shea on for the United States, Bedoya and Johnson off. For Denmark, it’s Christiansen and Delaney on for Kvist and Jakob Poulsen.
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Half-time: Denmark 1-1 USA
Altidore in the 19th, Bendtner in the 33rd. Only 35% possession for the US.
USMNT passing network in the first half. The effects of having just 35% possession. #USAvDEN pic.twitter.com/1EJ0akUh5p
— Ben Baer (@BenBaer89) March 25, 2015
45 min: Excellent chance up the right side for Denmark right before halftime. Garza is dispossessed and a Denmark player knifes into the box and delivers a low cross that skids directly in front of the net. Lucky for the Americans, no one is there to deposit a sure goal. The US will be lucky to go to halftime tied 1-1.
40 min: The rain has started to fall here. No substantial chances for either side, but the Danes have a clear edge in possession. The Americans just having trouble keeping the ball. And someone should probably slap Aron Johannsson’s face on a milk carton at halftime. Has anyone seen him?
35 min: With Denmark reinvigorated and controlling possession, a note from Dan Schulwolf:
Young Gyanni Zardes faces a challenge tonight in Ajax left-back Nicolai Boilesen. Now, I’ve never actually watched him play, but far more importantly I signed him during career mode in FIFA13, where he proved a consistently solid presence before being sold on to Barcelona for an eye watering sum.
#Analysis.
GOAL! Denmark 1-1 USA (Bendtner, 33 min)
Excellent combination play by the Danish along the right flank, a ball into the box, then a picturesque backheel finds Bendtner by himself near the backpost, who needed only tap it in. That’s his 27th goal in 65 appearances for Denmark. The US have now conceded in 12 of their 14 last international matches. Lackadaisical defending by the Americans.
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29 min: The United States in a positive spell here. More possession, incisive passing.
27 min: Linda checks in: “I feel like a bad American. I only recognize the names of two of the starting 11 - One because he’s bald and daddy used to coach him and the other because he was a bit of nothing for Sunderland. And then there’s the fact that if I could be watching I’d be watching Germany.”
There’s one in every crowd.
Just kidding. Save from Jozy’s moment of brilliance, this match has been a slog.
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25 min: First booking of the night as Denmark’s William Kvist is shown yellow for a kick on Altidore. Good free-kick opportunity here for the US. Meanwhile in New York, Mix is fired up.
Yessss! Way to go Jozy!!!
— Mix Diskerud (@MixDiskerud) March 25, 2015
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GOAL! Denmark 0-1 USA (Altidore, 19 min)
Just when the US back line was looking particularly shaky, Altidore collects a speculative cross from Chandler and smashes it home. Magnificent strike for the 25-year-old striker against the run of play. It’s Altidore’s 27th goal in his 79th appearance – and fourth in his last six. So much for that scoring drought.
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16 min: Bit of a sloppy affair so far, in part due to the slick surface at NRGi Park. Then from almost nowhere, Krohn-Dehli plays a dangerous ball in from 25 yards with Bendtner crashing toward the goal. It misses the mark and sails harmlessly wide of net, but the nearest opportunity for either side so far.
11 min: Denmark win a corner and it’s headed toward the goal by Kjær, before it’s safely cleared by the Americans. The Danes starting to dominate possession.
7 min: Chandler wins a foul from Sviatchenko, which gives a free kick in reasonably dangerous territory to the United States. Michael Bradley, making his 94th appearance for the US national team but – incredibly – only his first as captain, to take it – and it’s cleared.
4 min: Good possession for the US early.
“Montana Hamburg fan” – whom we won’t identify lest his boss find out – asks: “Is this the 2nd string Danish team? I remember some dispute between the players and the federation.”
This is a full-strength Denmark side, but you’re correct about the dispute. The Danish team – who currently top their Euro 2016 qualifying group – were involved in a pay dispute with their federation that nearly led to a player walkout. A deal was struck over the weekend that saw the players accept a 17% pay cut, with most (or possibly more) of the money returned if they qualify for major tournaments.
1 min: And we’re off! The United States attacking from left to right in their new away strips, with Denmark in their traditional red and white kits. Some faraway support from the Americans’ absent keeper.
All the best boys! @ussoccer #USMNT
— brad guzan (@bguzan) March 25, 2015
Anthem time
The sides have emerged from the (unusally cramped) tunnel onto the field. The Star-Spangled Banner followed by Der er et yndigt land (translation: There is a lovely country), the positively beautiful national anthem of Denmark. Just a few minutes from kickoff now.
Johannsson gets the call
With team captain Clint Dempsey ruled out of the next two games with a hamstring injury, Aron Johannsson gets the start. The match represents something of a homecoming for the 24-year-old, who played at Aarhus from 2010-12 and scored 23 goals in 65 appearances. The AZ Alkmaar forward is making his first appearance for the national team since coming on for Jozy Altidore in the first half of the United States’ 2-1 win over Ghana in the opening match of the 2014 World Cup.
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Family matters
Bryan Tisinger checks in with an email: “Where is Brad Guzan? Why is he not starting in place of Rimando?”
A good question deserves a good answer: We’re told Guzan was left off the squad to be with his wife due to the imminent birth of their first child.
The teams!
Denmark: Andersen; Wass, Kjær, Sviatchenko, Boilesen, Kvist, Krohn-Dehli, Eriksen (c), Bendtner, J Poulsen, Vibe
USA: Rimando; Chandler, Orozco, Brooks, Garza; Zardes, Bedoya, Bradley (c), Johnson; Altidore, Johannsson
Los XI que salen al campo para la #USMNT contra Dinamarca. pic.twitter.com/Qi3aG44gyC
— U.S. Soccer Español (@ussoccer_esp) March 25, 2015
Velkommen!
Social scientists say Denmark is the happiest country in the world, but Jurgen Klinsmann would like nothing more than to dampen the national spirit – at least for one night – when his US national team visit NRGi Park in Århus for the first of five high-profile friendlies ahead of July’s Concacaf Gold Cup. While we track down the teams, here’s a look at the new away kits the Americans will be sporting today.
The new away kit is the #USMNT #BusinessAttire for the first time today. #ShopTheLook: http://t.co/jXh0zJVu3u pic.twitter.com/nK86PbfQSf
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) March 25, 2015
Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s Graham Parker’s preview of the game:
Interesting times for Jurgen Klinsmann since the World Cup. The US coach was in typically ebullient form at the recent announcement of the Gold Cup groups in Philadelphia – relishing what in Gold Cup terms is a relatively (and the key word should be “relatively”) difficult draw for this summer’s tournament, but he also had to face one or two questions about what’s been a rather lackluster run since the highs of the Ghana game that opened the World Cup.
The subsequent mediocre run of results, characterized by late collapses, has begun to accrue a weight of caveats that might make you wonder why the games were played at all, if they were going to be rendered this meaningless by Klinsmann’s “big picture” advocates.
There’s certainly an argument, and in fairness it’s one that Klinsmann would make himself, that there shouldn’t be a drop in intensity, even if it is the start of a new World Cup cycle. But there was a definite sense of a World Cup hangover as 2014 ended with an embarrassing defeat to something of a Republic of Ireland ‘B’ team, while 2015 has opened with a loss in Chile and a rare win, over Panama at the StubHub Center.
Those two games were played with the traditional MLS-heavy January roster – whereas the squad for this pair of games versus Denmark and Switzerland is, as expected, a far more eclectic affair. There’s the healthy Liga MX contingent, most of the expected Europeans and just five MLS players, now that Clint Dempsey has limped out of camp with a hamstring strain that’s expected to keep him out for the next two to three weeks.
